Partycypować czyli uczestniczyć : formy uczestnictwa mieszkańców w zarządzaniu lokalnym

Abstract

Democracy is a system demanding from citizens the activeness that, according to Max Frisch, should be perceived as „getting involved in one’s own affairs”. From this principle the nature ofthe civic engagement follows which signifies the voluntary involvement of the residents ofthe territorial units in solving the problems ofthe „local homeland”. The article presents examples ofthe civic participation in the local governance. It has been pointed out herein that the first form ofsuch participation was, taking place in the 1990s, the demand ofthe residents of the small homelands to discover and register the local history. Thus, by „waking up memories”, the foundations for development oflocal values were created. Moreover, in the article it has been pointed out that the civic participation is a tool helping to solve local conflicts, especially when one deals with a collision or a con frontation between a local interest of an auxiliary unit ofthe commune (such as: village council office, district or settlement) and a local interest ofthe commune, e.g. preventing the closure ofsmall village schools or preservation ofenvironment from excess anthropo genic impact. The instrument thatstrengthens the civic participation is the village council office fund- in the villages, and so-called civil society fund- in the cities. Another form ofthis participation is the citizens’jury and also the residents’ right to propose resolutions (the right ofinitiative). The civic participation empowers the civil society and helps to build social confidence and social capital. It provides the residents with the sense ofbeing the hosts ofan area they inhabit.